First Ford Fiesta hatchbacks Arrive on U.S. Shores

The first examples of Ford's Fiesta hatchback arrived today at U.S. seaports in Baltimore and Oxnard, California. The 100 five-door Fiestas coming to America were built at Ford's Cologne Assembly Plant in Europe and will be loaned for six months to 100 drivers chosen from more than 3,300 applicants that participated in the "Fiesta Movement" project. Those picked to drive the European Fiesta will share their experiences online through social media sites such as Facebook, Flickr and YouTube to build buzz around the vehicle's North American market debut that is planned for early next year.

"We're really excited to be able to get our U.S. customers behind the wheel and experience this car," said Sam De La Garza, small car marketing manager at Ford. "It's all part of a plan to build excitement about the new Fiesta with the next generation of Ford customers."